Previously to this, the retainers of the palace, going to the room where the prisoner is confined, inform him that, as the censors have arrived, he should change his dress, and the attendants bring out a change of clothes upon a large tray:  it is when he has finished his toilet that the witnesses go forth and take their places in the appointed order, and the principal is then introduced.  He is preceded by one man, who should be of the rank of Mono-gashira (retainer of the fourth rank), who wears a dirk, but no sword.  Six men act as attendants; they should be of the fifth or sixth rank; they walk on either side of the principal.  They are followed by one man who should be of the rank of Yonin (councillor of the second class).  When they reach the place, the leading man draws on one side and sits down, and the six attendants sit down on either side of the principal.  The officer who follows him sits down behind him, and the chief censor reads the sentence.

When the reading of the sentence is finished, the principal leaves the room and again changes his clothes, and the chief censor immediately leaves the palace; but the lord of the palace does not conduct him to the door.  The second censor returns to the reception-room until the principal has changed his clothes.  When the principal has taken his seat at the place of execution, the councillors of the palace announce to the second censor that all is ready; he then proceeds to the place, wearing his sword and dirk.  The lord of the palace, also wearing his sword and dirk, takes his seat on one side.  The inferior censors and councillors sit in front of the censor:  they wear the dirk only.  The assistant second brings a dirk upon a tray, and, having placed it in front of the principal, withdraws on one side:  when the principal leans his head forward, his chief second strikes off his head, which is immediately shown to the censor, who identifies it, and tells the master of the palace that he is satisfied, and thanks him for all his trouble.  The corpse, as it lies, is hidden by a white screen which is set up around it, and incense is brought out.  The witnesses leave the place.  The lord of the palace accompanies them as far as the porch, and the retainers prostrate themselves in the yard as before.  The retainers who should be present at the place of execution are one or two councillors (Karo), two or three second councillors (Yonin), two or three Mono-gashira, one chief of the palace (Rusui), six attendants, one chief second, two assistant seconds, one man to carry incense, who need not be a person of rank—­any Samurai will do.  They attend to the setting up of the white screen.